Bristol City Centre BID provides funding for the city’s Street Pastors, a friendly and approachable team of trained volunteers offering care and support around Bristol city centre on Saturday nights.
Their caring, protective presence helps to make Bristol a safer place for city users at night and frees up the city’s emergency services to focus on the true emergencies. The pastors work alongside our BID-funded Safeguarding Marshals and are a lifeline for those who become vulnerable during the night. They helped more than 200 individuals between July 2018 and July 2019 with thoughtful gestures like providing a drink of water, a blanket on a cold night or flip flops for the walk home. It can make a huge difference to those in need.
Bristol Street Pastors is a local charity set up by the Ascension Trust and offers a warm welcome to new volunteers. BID’s funding enables them to remain in operation every Saturday night, with an aim of extending operation to include Fridays too.
Helen Harrison, Co-chair of Bristol Street Pastors
It’s one of the best things I’ve ever done. There’s a real sense of contentment from helping people.
